BEIJING -- Eight parents and teachers have been arrested in China on charges they helped students cheat on college entrance exams using communication devices.

The Guardian newspaper reported Friday that the unidentified suspects were detained on state secret charges for using scanners and wireless earpieces to give test takers exam answers.

Suspects involved in three cheating incidents in China's Zhejiang province have already been sentenced to between six months and three years in prison.

No information regarding any children punished for the cheating incidents was reported.

College entrance exams are a serious matter in China to the point that testing materials are kept under armed guard and traffic is altered to ensure test takers can arrive in time for test dates, The Guardian said.

The test materials are deemed top secret in China, leading to charges of illegally obtaining state secrets to those caught cheating.